Civilian Complaint Review Board

News about Civilian Complaint Review Board, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Feb. 11, 2015

New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board substantiated six complaints of police chokeholds in 2014, sharp increase from past years, though overall number of complaints has remained relatively steady; number fully investigated by board also rose significantly; five of six substantiations came after death of Eric Garner; rules on use of chokeholds are under debate. MORE

Jan. 13, 2015

Editorial examines report finding that chokeholds, key factor in death of Eric Garner, have not been eliminated as a common practice for New York City police officers despite fact that tactic was supposedly disavowed; expresses hope that Civilian Complaint Review Board will continue to press department for transparency and accountability. MORE

Oct. 8, 2014

Civilian Complaint Review Board finds that New York Police Department definition of chokehold has narrowed in two decades since practice was banned, and that many officers use other names for same hold; says investigators often misinterpreted rule and that department 'failed to hold officers accountable.' MORE

Aug. 27, 2014

Data shows that New York Police Commissioner William J Bratton declined to punish officers involved in complaints about misconduct brought by Civilian Complaint Review board over matters like stop-and-frisk encounters and use of racially offensive language; department has declined to sanction officers in over 25 percent of cases in first six months of 2014. MORE

Jul. 20, 2014

New York City's Civilian Complaint Review Board announces study of more than 1,000 complaints it has received in recent years about police officers using chokeholds; announcement follows death of Staten Island man Eric Garner after police encounter in which chokehold appeared to be used. MORE

Jul. 18, 2014

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio names Rick Chandler as head of city's Buildings Dept, and Richard Emery as chairman of Civilian Complaint Review Board; de Blasio also names chairwoman and vice chairman of committee that advises mayor on judicial appointments, filling some of last vacancies in his administration. MORE

Nov. 28, 2013

Deputy Inspector Anthony Bologna, New York City Police commander whose pepper spraying of several women in 2011 sparked sharp criticism of Police Department’s response to Occupy Wall Street protests, is ordered to appear before investigators and account for his actions; decision represents significant victory for the investigative powers of the Civilian Complaint Review Board. MORE

Jun. 6, 2012

New York City Police Dept's Internal Affairs Bureau and the Civilian Complaint Review Board are investigating a complaint from New York State Supreme Court Justice Thomas D Raffaele that he was assaulted by a police officer at the scene of an arrest in Queens; Raffaele claims he was drawn to the chaos in an effort to help police control an increasingly unruly crowd and was instead struck by an enraged officer who hit him hard enough to send him to the hospital. MORE

Mar. 28, 2012

New York City officials reach agreement that gives Civilian Complaint Review Board lawyers, who investigate allegations of police abuse in New York, new powers to prosecute police officers in misconduct cases; changes are intended to shine light on the city's police disciplinary process, which critics have long said is murky and secretive. MORE